Cooks, Fast Food Salary in New Jersey
The median for cooks, fast food in New Jersey is $32,220 a year, somewhat above the national $30,890 (+4%); the state ranks 20th of 51 states by median. That is 45% less than the median across all occupations in New Jersey ($58,570). Among neighbouring states, New York pays more (up to $35,770 in New York) and Delaware and Pennsylvania pay less (down to $28,810 in Pennsylvania). New Jersey employs 3,440 cooks, fast food, 0.80 per 1,000 jobs, the 33rd largest count of any state. A location quotient of 0.19 means it is less common in New Jersey than nationally.
New Jersey vs the United States, May 2025
| Area | Basis | Percentile wage | Mean | Employment | Jobs per 1,000 | Location quotient | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th | 25th | Median | 75th | 90th | ||||||
| New Jersey | Hourly | $15.49 | $15.49 | $15.49 | $17.76 | $20.12 | $16.94 | 3,440 | 0.80 | 0.19 |
| Annual | $32,220 | $32,220 | $32,220 | $36,930 | $41,860 | $35,240 | ||||
| United States | Hourly | $10.86 | $13.11 | $14.85 | $17.92 | $20.63 | $15.57 | 641,070 | – | – |
| Annual | $22,580 | $27,260 | $30,890 | $37,260 | $42,910 | $32,390 | ||||
- Rank by median
- 20th of 51 states
- Rank by employment
- 33rd of 49 states
- Location quotient
- 0.19
- Jobs per 1,000
- 0.80
Ranks count the 50 states and DC with a published value. The location quotient is the occupation's share of New Jersey's employment divided by its national share; 1.00 means the same share as the nation. Take-home pay at these wages: FastCalc's take-home pay calculator.
Metropolitan areas in New Jersey
4 metropolitan areas touching New Jersey publish a row for cooks, fast food, sorted by median. Areas crossing a state line are listed under every state they touch; a linked metro has its own profile.
| Area | Median hourly | Median annual | 10th pct (annual) | 90th pct (annual) | Employment | Jobs per 1,000 | Location quotient |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Atlantic City-Hammonton, NJ | $17.48 | $36,350 | $32,220 | $42,860 | ** | ** | ** |
| New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ | $17.20 | $35,780 | $32,220 | $39,330 | 10,410 | 1.10 | 0.27 |
| Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD | $15.49 | $32,220 | $24,850 | $46,430 | 4,010 | 1.38 | 0.34 |
| Allentown-Bethlehem-Easton, PA-NJ | $13.83 | $28,760 | $23,690 | $44,060 | 530 | 1.40 | 0.34 |
Neighbouring states
| State | Median hourly | Median annual | Employment | Location quotient |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| New Jersey | $15.49 | $32,220 | 3,440 | 0.19 |
| Delaware | $15.31 | $31,840 | 850 | 0.43 |
| New York | $17.20 | $35,770 | 11,710 | 0.29 |
| Pennsylvania | $13.85 | $28,810 | 9,240 | 0.37 |
See the national page for Cooks, Fast Food (every state ranked) and the New Jersey wage profile (every occupation in the state).
Source and notes
Data: BLS OEWS May 2025, released 2026-05-15. Cross-industry estimates, all ownerships. BLS page: OEWS New Jersey estimates.
**- Employment estimate not available.
- Annual wages assume 2,080 hours a year at the hourly rate; occupations BLS publishes on one basis only show an en dash (–) on the other.
- Employment is rounded to the nearest 10 by BLS. Where BLS withholds a cell, nothing is estimated in its place.